Hinge for a foldable display device
A hinge is mountable on a flexible display unit including a housing shell unit and a display unit. The hinge includes a base seat, a torsion module disposed above the base seat and secured to the display unit, and a bracket module disposed below the base seat. The torsion module includes two outer supporting units and an inner supporting unit at two ends and a middle of the base seat. The bracket module has two brackets securely connected to two support plates of the display unit and rotatable relative to the base seat. The hinge is rotatable between an unfolded position where the brackets are in an unfolded state, and an outfolding position where the brackets are close to and face each other. The outer and inner supporting units cooperatively define a semicircular-shaped supporting surface in the outfolding position for supporting the display unit.
Latest FOSITEK CORPORATION Patents:
This application claims priority of Chinese Patent Application No. 202110818632.9, filed on Jul. 20, 2021.
FIELDThe disclosure relates to a hinge, and more particularly to a hinge for connecting with two housing shells of a foldable display device.
BACKGROUNDRecently, smart phones have become most common electronic devices. Due to the improvement in the performance of processors, batteries, etc. of smart phones, replacement of mobile phones is not as frequent as when such products first came out. In order to gain interest from consumers and meet the needs of large display dimension and convenient portability, foldable smart phones have also developed. Foldable smart phones have an infolding display structure and an outfolding display structure. In the infolding display structure, two folded display parts of a flexible display are close to and face each other, and are folded inwardly of two housing shells. In the outfolding display structure, the two folded display parts are disposed back to back and away from each other to be exposed outwardly of the two housing shells. The dimension of an outfolding smart phone in the outfolding state is generally the same as that of a common smart phone for facilitating direct use by a consumer in this state. It is also used when unfolded to provide a larger visual display for watching movies, playing mobile games, etc. Thus, the outfolding smart phones are more favorable to current consumers. However, during the folding process of certain outfolding smart phones, the flexible display is subject to a pulling force due to a difference between the inner and outer depths of the display and the inwardly folded housing shells. Moreover, the flexible display of certain outfolding smart phones is not sufficiently supported by a hinge at a center of the display in a folded state, which adversely affects the display upon use.
SUMMARYTherefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a hinge for a foldable display device that can alleviate at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.
According to the disclosure, the hinge is mountable on a foldable display device. The foldable display device includes a housing shell unit and a display unit. The housing shell unit includes two housing shells which are respectively connected with left and right sides of the hinge in a left-right direction, and two support plates which are respectively disposed on the housing shells. The display unit is securely disposed to the hinge, and is movably engaged with the housing shell unit. The hinge includes a base seat, a torsion module and a bracket unit. The base seat is elongated in a front-rear direction that is transverse to the left-right direction. The torsion module is disposed above the base seat, and is securely connectable to the display unit. The torsion module includes two outer supporting units which are respectively disposed on front and rear ends of the base seat and which extend in the front-rear direction, an inner supporting unit which is disposed on the base seat and which extends in the front-rear direction, and at least one pair of torsion plate units which are disposed between the inner supporting unit and one of the outer supporting units. Each of the outer supporting units has a central outer supporting tube which is securely connected to the base seat, two first outer supporting tubes which are disposed outboard of the central outer supporting tube, and two second outer supporting tubes which are disposed outboard of and respectively and pivotally connected with the first outer supporting tubes. The inner supporting unit has a central inner supporting tube which is securely connected to the base seat, two first inner supporting tubes which are disposed outboard of the central inner supporting tube, and two second inner supporting tubes which are disposed outboard of and respectively and pivotally connected with the first inner supporting tubes. The bracket module is disposed below the base seat. The bracket module includes two brackets which extend in the front-rear direction and which are respectively and securely connectable to the support plates. Each of the brackets is rotatable relative to the base seat, and is connected with the pair torsion plate units. The hinge is rotatable between an unfolded position, where the brackets are in an unfolded state, and an outfolding position, where the brackets are close to and face each other. During rotation of the hinge from the unfolded position to the outfolding position, the first outer supporting tubes of the outer supporting units are rotated downwardly relative to the central outer supporting tubes and the second outer supporting tubes are rotated downwardly relative to the first outer supporting tubes, and the first inner supporting tubes of the inner supporting unit are rotated downwardly relative to the central inner supporting tube and the second inner supporting tubes are rotated downwardly relative to the first inner supporting tubes so as to cooperatively define a semicircular-shaped supporting surface in the outfolding position for supporting the display unit.
Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Referring to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
Each torsion plate unit 44 has a plurality of torsion plate assemblies 440 which are alternately arranged in the front-rear direction (D1), and a plurality of connecting shafts 443, each of which extends through the torsion plate assemblies 440, the corresponding middle supporting unit 42, and one of the inner supporting unit 43 and the corresponding outer supporting unit 41. Specifically, the connecting shafts 443 of the two torsion plate units 44 adjacent to the outer supporting units 41 extend through the corresponding torsion plate assemblies 440, the corresponding outer supporting unit 41 and the corresponding middle supporting unit 42. The connecting shafts 443 of the two torsion plate units 44 adjacent to the inner supporting units 43 extend through the corresponding torsion plate assemblies 440, the inner supporting unit 43 and the corresponding middle supporting unit 42. Thus, the outer supporting units 41, the middle supporting units 42, the inner supporting unit 43 and the torsion plate units 44 are rotatable synchronously. Each torsion plate assembly 440 has three sets of torsion plates 441 which are arranged in the left-right direction (D2), and a lateral connecting piece 442 which is connected with the torsion plates 441 of one set. The torsion plates 441 of each set are aligned with each other in the front-rear direction (D1), such as four torsion plates 441 of each set, and two of the connecting shafts 443 extend through the torsion plates 441 of each set. Each torsion plate 441 has toothed portions (441a) formed at two sides thereof which mesh with those of an adjacent one of the torsion plates 441 so as to permit relative rotation of the torsion plates 441. The lateral connecting piece 442 has a gear portion (442a) which meshes with the toothed portion (441a) of the adjacent torsion plate 441. Each arm plate 45 is securely connected with the corresponding lateral connecting pieces 442 at the same side.
With reference to
The synchronizing units 52 are respectively connected with the end plates 512 of the brackets 51 at the same side to make a synchronous rotation of the brackets 51 relative to the base seat 3. Specifically, each synchronizing unit 52 has two rotating members 521 which are rotatably disposed in the respective receiving block 32 of the base seat 3 and which are respectively connected with the end plates 512 of the brackets 51, and two synchronous gears 522 which are rotatably disposed in the respective receiving block 32 and mesh with each other and which are interposed between the rotating members 521. Each rotating member 521 has a rotating gear portion (521a) which meshes with the adjacent synchronous gear 522, a transmitting shaft portion (521b) which is securely (i.e., non-rotatably) connected with the corresponding end plate 512, and a pivot shaft portion (521c) which is extended in the corresponding receiving block 32. Thus, a torque generated as a result of a rotation of one bracket 51 relative to the base seat 3 is transmitted through the rotating members 521 and the synchronous gears 522 to the other bracket 51 so as to make the synchronous rotation of the brackets 51.
The bracket module 5 further includes two pairs of thrust members 53 which are respectively and movably disposed in the moving slots 122 of the support plates 12 and respectively abut against the moved protrusions 24 of the display unit 2, two pairs of thrust biasing members 54, each of which is disposed between the respective abutment wall (511c) and the corresponding thrust member 53 to bias the corresponding thrust member 53 to the corresponding moved protrusion 24, four positioning members 55, each of which is slidably engaged in the guiding slot (512a) of the end plate 512 and abuts against the corresponding receiving block 32, four positioning biasing members 56, each of which is disposed between the respective positioning member 55 and the corresponding end plate 512 to bias the positioning member 55 to the corresponding receiving block 32, and four sliding blocks 57 which are respectively and slidably received in the sliding slots (511a). The enclosure member 6 is disposed to shield the bracket module 5 and the base seat 3, and is secured to the sliding blocks 57 to be slidable relative to the brackets 51.
With reference to
Specifically, with reference to
With reference to
As illustrated, with the first outer supporting tubes 412 of the outer supporting units 41 rotated downwardly relative to the central outer supporting tubes 411, the second outer supporting tubes 413 rotated downwardly relative to the first outer supporting tubes 412, the first middle supporting tubes 422 of the middle supporting units 42 rotated downwardly relative to the central middle supporting tubes 421, the second middle supporting tubes 423 rotated downwardly relative to the first middle supporting tubes 422, the first inner supporting tubes 432 of the inner supporting unit 43 rotated downwardly relative to the central inner supporting tube 431, and the second inner supporting tubes 433 rotated downwardly relative to the first inner supporting tubes 432, the supporting tubes of the outer supporting units 41, the middle supporting units 42 and the inner supporting unit 43 cooperatively define a semicircular-shaped supporting surface for supporting the display unit 2, which prevents the flexible display 21 from a pulling or compressing force due to a difference between the inner and outer depths of the folded housing shells 11 that might damage the display unit 2.
While the disclosure has been described in connection with what is considered the exemplary embodiment, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Claims
1. A hinge mountable on a foldable display device, the foldable display device including a housing shell unit and a display unit, the housing shell unit including two housing shells which are respectively connected with left and right sides of said hinge in a left-right direction, and two support plates which are respectively disposed on the housing shells, the display unit being securely disposed to said hinge and being movably engaged with the housing shell unit, said hinge comprising:
- a base seat which is elongated in a front-rear direction that is transverse to the left-right direction;
- a torsion module which is disposed above said base seat, and which is securely connectable to the display unit, said torsion module including two outer supporting units which are respectively disposed on front and rear ends of said base seat and which extend in the front-rear direction, an inner supporting unit which is disposed on said base seat and which extends in the front-rear direction, and at least one pair of torsion plate units which are disposed between said inner supporting unit and one of said outer supporting units, each of said outer supporting units having a central outer supporting tube which is securely connected to said base seat, two first outer supporting tubes which are disposed outboard of said central outer supporting tube, and two second outer supporting tubes which are disposed outboard of and respectively and pivotally connected with said first outer supporting tubes, said inner supporting unit having a central inner supporting tube which is securely connected to said base seat, two first inner supporting tubes which are disposed outboard of said central inner supporting tube, and two second inner supporting tubes which are disposed outboard of and respectively and pivotally connected with said first inner supporting tubes; and
- a bracket module which is disposed below said base seat, said bracket module including two brackets which extend in the front-rear direction and which are respectively and securely connectable to the support plates, each of said brackets being rotatable relative to said base seat, and being connected with said pair of said torsion plate units;
- wherein said hinge is rotatable between an unfolded position, where said brackets are in an unfolded state, and an outfolding position, where said brackets are close to and face each other, and
- wherein, during rotation of said hinge from the unfolded position to the outfolding position, said first outer supporting tubes of said outer supporting units are rotated downwardly relative to said central outer supporting tubes and said second outer supporting tubes are rotated downwardly relative to said first outer supporting tubes, and said first inner supporting tubes of said inner supporting unit are rotated downwardly relative to said central inner supporting tube and said second inner supporting tubes are rotated downwardly relative to said first inner supporting tubes so as to cooperatively define a semicircular-shaped supporting surface in the outfolding position for supporting the display unit.
2. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said torsion plate units has a plurality of torsion plate assemblies which are alternately arranged in the front-rear direction, and a plurality of connecting shafts, each of which extends through said torsion plate assemblies, and one of said inner supporting unit and a corresponding one of said outer supporting units, each of said torsion plate assemblies having three sets of torsion plates which are arranged in the left-right direction, and a lateral connecting piece which is connected with said torsion plates of one set, said torsion plates of each set being aligned with each other in the front-rear direction, and two of said connecting shafts extending through said torsion plates of each set, each of said torsion plates having toothed portions at two sides thereof which mesh with those of an adjacent one of said torsion plates so as to permit relative rotation of said torsion plates, said lateral connecting piece having a gear portion which meshes with one of said torsion plates.
3. The hinge as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said brackets has a bracket plate elongated in the front-rear direction, and two end plates respectively and transversely disposed from front and rear ends of said bracket plate and extending in the left-right direction, said bracket module further including two synchronizing units which are respectively disposed on said front and rear ends of said base seat and which are respectively connected with said end plates of said brackets to make a synchronous rotation of said brackets relative to said base seat.
4. The hinge as claimed in claim 3, wherein said base seat includes an elongated strip and two receiving blocks respectively connected with front and rear ends of said elongated strip, each of said synchronizing units having two rotating members which are rotatably disposed in a respective one of said receiving blocks and which are respectively connected with said end plates of said brackets, and two synchronous gears which are rotatably disposed in the respective one of said receiving blocks and mesh with each other and which are interposed between said rotating members, each of said rotating members having a rotating gear portion which meshes with an adjacent one of said synchronous gears, a transmitting shaft portion which is securely connected with a corresponding one of said end plates, and a pivot shaft portion which is extended in a corresponding one of said receiving blocks such that, a torque generated as a result of a rotation of one of said brackets relative to said base seat is transmitted through said rotating members and said synchronous gears to the other one of said brackets so as to make the synchronous rotation of said brackets.
5. The hinge as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said receiving blocks has two recesses respectively formed at left and right ends thereof, each of said end plates being in form of an L-shaped plate which is formed with a guiding slot that extends in the left-right direction, said bracket module further including four positioning members, each of which is slidably engaged in said guiding slot and abuts against a corresponding one of said receiving blocks, and four positioning biasing members, each of which is disposed between a respective one of said positioning members and a corresponding one of said end plates to bias said positioning member to said corresponding receiving block such that said positioning member is engaged in a corresponding one of said recesses when said hinge is in the unfolded position so as to position said brackets in the unfolded state.
6. The hinge as claimed in claim 3, wherein said torsion module further includes two arm plates, each of which is securely connected with corresponding ones of said lateral connecting pieces and extends in the front-rear direction, each of said brackets further having at least one pair of connecting blocks which are disposed on said bracket plate and each of which has an extending slot, each of said torsion plate units further having two coupling shafts, each of which is securely connected with corresponding ones of said lateral connecting pieces and extends through said extending slot of a respective one of said connecting blocks such that rotation of said brackets is transmitted to rotate said arm plates, said lateral connecting pieces and said torsion plates.
7. The hinge as claimed in claim 6, wherein said hinge is rotatable among the unfolded position, the outfolding position, and an infolding position, where said arm plates are close to and face each other, and wherein, during rotation of said hinge from the unfolded position to the infolding position, said first outer supporting tubes of said outer supporting units are rotated upwardly relative to said central outer supporting tubes and said second outer supporting tubes are rotated upwardly relative to said first outer supporting tubes, said first inner supporting tubes of said inner supporting unit are rotated upwardly relative to said central inner supporting tube and said second inner supporting tubes are rotated upwardly relative to said first inner supporting tubes so as to cooperate with said arm plates to define a drop-shaped receiving space in the infolding position for accommodating the display unit.
8. The hinge as claimed in claim 3, further comprising an enclosure member disposed below said brackets of said bracket module, wherein said bracket plate of each of said brackets is formed with a plurality of sliding slots extending in the left-right direction, said bracket module further including a plurality of sliding blocks which are respectively and slidably received in said sliding slots and securely connected with said enclosure member such that said enclosure member is slidable relative to said brackets.
9874906 | January 23, 2018 | Hsu |
10928863 | February 23, 2021 | Pelissier |
20110063783 | March 17, 2011 | Shim |
20130014346 | January 17, 2013 | Ahn |
20140123436 | May 8, 2014 | Griffin |
20150286286 | October 8, 2015 | Jiang |
20150362956 | December 17, 2015 | Tazbaz |
20160370829 | December 22, 2016 | Hsu |
20190040904 | February 7, 2019 | Hsu |
20200029449 | January 23, 2020 | Makinen |
20200097051 | March 26, 2020 | Liu |
20200371553 | November 26, 2020 | Hsu |
20210044682 | February 11, 2021 | Liu |
20210067614 | March 4, 2021 | Cheng |
209414382 | September 2019 | CN |
210978177 | July 2020 | CN |
2016169813 | September 2016 | JP |
Type: Grant
Filed: Sep 29, 2021
Date of Patent: Oct 18, 2022
Assignee: FOSITEK CORPORATION (New Taipei)
Inventors: An-Szu Hsu (New Taipei), Yan-Jiao Cheng (Shenzhen)
Primary Examiner: Chuck Y Mah
Application Number: 17/489,243
International Classification: E05D 3/06 (20060101); E05D 3/12 (20060101); G06F 1/16 (20060101); E05D 3/18 (20060101); E05D 3/14 (20060101);